Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-11-01

necessitates a reply from me concern
ing matter | supposed settled in May
last
During the year 1885 the people OF
the town of Goodson voted upon the
question of subscription to the South
Atlantic and Ohio Railroad Company
Of S25, coo. The vote stood 231 for and
none against the subscription-within
80 of the registered vote. February
10, 1887, the same people voted an adj
ditional subscription of S25, 900 to that
road by q vote of 202 for and against
it. Some claim was asserted that the
subscription was in excess of the amount
fixed by law, and Senate Bill 373 was
introduced by Senator w. T. Rhea to
legalize the subscription upon certain
conditions. The bill passed the Senate,
came to the House. and upon mo-
ton was placed upon the calendar
May 2lst-tTO Mirds of the House
voting in the aflirmatve-Colonel Fulk-
orson being present that day. OF the
act itself ratifyiDg the Issue of said
bonds need onl Y say that it carefully
cite the following from it:
" provided. that mono Of tho pro-
visions 81 this act shall become in force until
the said railroad company shall have sub
scTibed 100000 to the capital stock OF COM
pany who shall have erected blast furnace OF
not less than 100 tons daily capacity, and have
the sSmc in operation: and provided, further,
that the said bonds shall not be delivered 70 the
said railroad company until the said furnace is
erected and in operation upon the line OF the
South Atlantic aud Ohio railroad a. now To-
Gated within the corporation limits OF the town
Of GOsdsOn. or within the county OF Washing
ton and not more than two miles from the cor
porstiOn line If the town Of GoOdson: where
upon the said bonds shall De delivered 10 tho
said railroad company
During the legislative day of May
%, 1887, the clerk advised me, as
Speaker, that it was not possible to en-
rol more bills than had already passed,
and so informed the House, having
no power to prevent further legislation
if the House desired it.
The House then adjourned until
Tuesday, May oath, at IL A. Nj. The
House was called to order on the day
and at the hour to which it adjourned.
How many were present do not know,
but the point of "no quorum was not
made by either side.
At11:15 Mr.. Hay moved a recess un-
ill l1:45. Shortly after II ] received
the following telegram
BRISTOL, TENN.
Unanimous desire Of our people here tina.
Senate Bill 313 shOuld pass HOUSE,. Please
WILLIAM r. RHEA.
Senator Rhea, equally with Colonel
Fulkerson, represented the people of
GoOdson.
Acknowledgement Ayers also showed
me telegram from DIR. Bailey, urg-
ing the passage of the bill. l was then
engaged in signing a large batch of
bills to go to the Governor. Immedi-
ately upon receipt of the telegram |
asked the clerk to have Senate Bill 373
enrolled. so that should the House pass
the bill, it might go at once to
the Governor This was done, the
bill was called UP by me. was passed,
and in the Governors hands and
problbly signed before II o'clock.
The hands of the clock were turned
back for two purposes-namely, first,
that the Committee on Enrolled Bills
might report; second, that the Gov
ernor might be notified that the Gene
raj Assembly was ready to adjourn.
In accordance with the Custom of
years, moved an extra compensation
to the officers, janitor, and pages of
the House. | would do 50 again. No
constitutional vote was necessary to
pass such a resolution it was simply
an order to the Clerk to issue his war
rant upon money already appropriated
to meet House expenses. The men to
whom it went are hard-worked, are at
the beck and call of every committee
and each member night and day, and
il has always, therefore, seemed proper
to divide amongst them the small sum
allowed by this and similar resolutions.
Republican and Democratic Houses
have alike agreed to this.
AS l say above, the hands OF the
clock were turned back for the pur-
poses indicated, and do not suppose
that in all the history of this country,
in Congress or in the State legislatures,
all instance can be cited where it was
not done.
l violate no confidence when quote
from Senator Rhes's letter TO me of
date June 3, 1887, as follows: 81
sincerely thank you for your action in
the matter" Il. e., Senate Bill 373,)
land / thank you III the name OF our
people for can positively assure
you, and l speak from accurate in
formation, that your action is approved
and spplau1ed by almost the entire
population of this town, who want to
carry out in good faith their obligations
to this company, which has done and
is doing so much for our town.
With the further statement that l
did not know the nature OF Senate Bill
1913 until / called it up, aud that | had
no interest in it, submit this state
ment of facts as l remember them to
you. CHARLES r. STUART.
Alexandria, Va, October %, 1887.